A new exhibition opening at Drake University examines the life and work of honorary degree-holder Jay N. “Ding” Darling, a two-time Pulitzer-prize winning political cartoonist and environmental conservationist.

We Knew Him When: An Exhibit on Jay N. Darling features a rare and extensive collection of personal artifacts, sketches, and career memorabilia. The exhibition opens March 26 and runs through May 31 in Drake University’s Cowles Library, 2725 University Ave. Des Moines, Iowa.

The exhibit was curated by nationally recognized Darling expert Sam Koltinsky, a documentary filmmaker who serves as director of the Jay N. Darling Center in Des Moines. The exhibit will be complemented by a series of panel discussions by journalists, historians, conservationists, and scholars.

“This is the most comprehensive exhibition of Darling artifacts and artwork that we’ve ever hosted, offering a glimpse of Darling’s life from childhood, to his college years, and throughout his career,” Koltinsky said. “We are eager to welcome a series of local and national experts to speak to Darling’s legacy as a visionary, political cartoonist, artist, and conservationist."

Darling received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Drake University on June 2, 1926. The exhibition will feature a photograph, recently uncovered by Drake archivists, of Darling in his cap and gown, honorary degree in hand, on the day of the commencement ceremony.

Some additional display materials will be drawn from Drake University’s Archives and Special Collections, which hosts a collection of more than 6,000 editorial cartoons completed by Darling between 1914 and 1948.

Jay N. "Ding" Darling (far right, with round glasses) was awarded an honorary degree from Drake University Law School in 1926.

Other materials on display include:

Sketchbooks dating back to 1899, during Darling’s time at Beloit College, Wisconsin

A series of rare and rarely-seen etchings and unfinished studies

Darling’s top hat, trousers, and books that he wrote

Historic materials from The Des Moines Register, including a 4’ by 8’ panel of The Three Commandments Guiding The Register and Tribune

Program and hand-written notes documenting a two-day Short Course in Conservation presented by Darling and Aldo Leopold in 1938

Contemporary interpretations of Darling’s artwork

Special events include:

Wednesday, March 28. Exhibit opening and reception, featuring presentations by Sam Koltinsky, director and curator of the Jay N. Darling Center; Joe McGovern, president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation; and Brian Duffy, freelance cartoonist and illustrator and former front page cartoonist for The Des Moines Register.

Thursday, April 19. “What ‘Ding’ Might Say,” featuring presentations by Dennis Ryerson, former editor of The Des Moines Register and Neil Hamilton, professor of law and director of the Drake University Agricultural Law Center.

Thursday, May 3. Guest speakers (to be announced).

All events begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. More information is available at library.drake.edu/ding-darling.

Jay Norwood “Ding” Darling was a leading editorial cartoonist in the 1900s, first for the Sioux City Journal, then for The Des Moines Register and Leader (later known as The Des Moines Register). At the height of popularity, his work was syndicated to 150 newspapers in the U.S., and he received Pulitzer Prizes in 1924 and 1942. An avid environmental conservationist, he was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 to a federal position through which he implemented the Duck Stamp Act, designed the first duck stamp, and also founded the Cooperative Research Unit Program. He was also instrumental in the formation of the National Wildlife Federation. Sanibel Island, Florida, is home to the Jay N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

The Jay N. Darling Center's exhibition has been traveling for about 4 years—most recently, it was on display at Sioux City Museum in summer 2017—and has been growing steadily throughout its lifespan. In fact, the exhibit originally featured 7 pieces of artwork.

]]>21595Keys to Excellence presents Mei-Hsuan Huanghttp://news.drake.edu/2018/03/19/keys-to-excellence-presents-mei-hsuan-huang/
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:28:01 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21610
Mei-Hsuan Huang, assistant professor of piano at Iowa State University, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 26 as part of the Keys to Excellence Piano Series.]]>

Mei-Hsuan Huang, assistant professor of piano at Iowa State University, will present the next concert of Drake University’s Keys to ExcellencePiano Series on Monday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium. The performance is free and open to the public, and will feature the following works:

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium and are free and open to the public.

Huang has been a prizewinner in several international piano competitions, including the USASU International Piano Competition in Tempe, Arizona, the 57th Wideman Piano Concerto Competition in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the International Chopin Piano Competition in Taipei, Taiwan. She regularly performs over fifty solo and chamber recitals every year in Europe, States, Canada and Taiwan. She has been invited to summer festivals including the 2006 Aspen Music Festival, the 2007 Pianofest in the East Hamptons, the 2008 Orford Music Festival, Quebec, the 2010 Atlantic Music Festival in Maine, the 2012 CICA Eureka Springs International Music Festival in Arkansas, and the 2012 and 2013 Banff Music Festival, Alberta. Festivals increasingly ask for her presence on their artist rosters. Recently, Huang also was presented in a piano recital in National Taiwan Concert Hall (Taipei), as a result of being nominated for the prize of “Excellent Musician Series” by ProArtist.

In 2013, Huang performed George Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue" with the Central Iowa Symphony, Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto with the Iowa State University Orchestra, and Camille Saint-Saëns’ "Carnival of the Animals" with the Des Moines Symphony. In 2017, she performed Bach’s F Minor Keyboard Concerto and many chamber concerts with the Caroga Lake Chamber Orchestra in New York and Switzerland. Huang has travelled with the Amara Quartet to perform at the Colours of Music Festival in Barrie, Ontario and on concert series in Illinois, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas. The quartet released compact disc on the Fleur de Son label in 2016, a recording of American quartets that will feature the piano quartet by George Tsontakis’ piano quartet No. 3, Dark Rosaleen—written by Lee Hoiby for the Ames Piano Quartet—a piano quartet by Walter Piston and Carolina Reveille by Paul Schoenfield. The quartet will release compact disc on the Fleur de Son label in 2018 including both Faure Piano Quartets.

Huang received her bachelors degree at The National Taiwan Normal University, where, she won the prestigious Xing Tang Temple Piano Competition Prize. She received her masters degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied with Sergei Babayan, Margarita Shevchenko, and Paul Schenly. She received her doctorate of musical arts degree at The Ohio State University under full-scholarship.

Huang is on piano faculty at The Atlantic Music Festival in Maine and guest pianist at Caroga Lake Music Festival in New York during the summer. Huang was named a Steinway & Sons Artist since 2014.

The Keys to ExcellencePiano Series was created to raise awareness of Drake's fundraising efforts for the purpose of 70 brand new Yamaha pianos for the music department. It brings internationally acclaimed artists to perform on the Yamaha CFX concert grand at Drake University.

The series is supported by Yamaha, West Music, Civic Music Association, and Drake University. For more information, contact Nicholas Roth at 515-321-5947 or nicholas.roth@drake.edu

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in Sheslow Auditorium and are free and open to the public.

]]>21610Beyond words: Knepper, Kalmanson publish book on ineffabilityhttp://news.drake.edu/2018/03/13/beyond-words-knepper-kalmanson-publish-book-on-ineffability/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 14:13:35 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21549A new book by two members of the Drake University faculty was inspired by that which cannot be expressed in words. Professor of Philosophy Tim Knepper and Associate Professor of Philosophy Leah Kalmanson edited and wrote essays for Ineffability: An Exercise in Comparative Philosophy of Religion (Nov. 2017, Springer).

The book discusses ineffability, which is what cannot be put into words. Specifically, within religion, this means there are certain religious experiences or supernatural beings that cannot be expressed adequately in language, Knepper said.

Forming the basis for the book is the two-year lecture and dialogue series by The Comparison Project at Drake University on “Religion Beyond Words,” which from 2013 to 2015 included lectures by scholars on ineffability in different religious and aesthetic traditions as well as dialogues, exhibitions, and performances about ineffability.

Written primarily for scholars and graduate students, the book chronologically outlines the lectures presented over the two-year series. Each lecture is a chapter in the book, which covers nine religions, discusses art and literature as it relates to ineffability and has two comparative conclusions written by Knepper and Kalmanson.

The topic of ineffability is broken down and specified to a certain religious experience or ultimate being in each religion. So, for Buddhism, the topic of ineffability goes hand in hand with experiences of Nirvana. With Daoism, it has to do with The Dao, which is the source-force of all things. In Christianity, it would be God as transcendent of everything that people can think and say. Since the book’s scope is not limited to religion, one chapter looks at “how music can express the failure of language,” and the chapter includes scores the presenter discussed and preformed in his lecture, Knepper said.

After writing the book, Knepper said that, personally, he is skeptical of ineffability. It functions, he says, as a sort of defense mechanism —a way to protect parts of religion from analysis and explanation. Ineffability became the core of many religions because, generally speaking, there are so many different gods, and so many conflicting ideas and practices in and across religions, that they cannot all simultaneously be true. This core was said to be ineffable experience and reality, which was believed to be shared by all religions. It could not be analyzed and explained by the natural and human sciences because it could not be put into words, Knepper said.

Still, Knepper loves looking at how humans talk about things they say they can’t talk about. “I’m enthralled by this move that humans do, not just in religion, but in regard to food and love, Knepper said. “In many cultures language is perceived as sullying. If you want to show that something is really special, you free it from the shackles of language.”

The book on ineffability is the second produced by The Comparison Project, which was founded in 2010. The first, A Spectrum of Faith: Religions of the World in America's Heartland, tells the stories of 15 Iowa religious communities. That book was published by Drake Community Press in 2017, and was co-produced by Drake faculty, staff members, students, and community partners.

Ineffability: An Exercise in Comparative Philosophy of Religion is the first lecture-based book in what will hopefully become a series. Right now, Knepper is halfway through writing and editing the chapters of a book based on the 2015-2017 series on “Death and Dying.” It has a tentative release date of December 2018.

]]>21549McCarthy edits new book on Japanese foreign policyhttp://news.drake.edu/2018/03/13/mccarthy-edits-new-book-on-japanese-foreign-policy/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 13:56:12 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21543
Mary McCarthy, associate professor of politics and international relations at Drake University, recently edited an interdisciplinary volume on Japanese foreign policy. ]]>

Mary McCarthy, associate professor of politics and international relations at Drake University, recently edited an interdisciplinary volume on Japanese foreign policy. The Routledge Handbook of Japanese Foreign Policy takes a comprehensive approach to foreign policy using research from political science, history, sociology, and gender studies.

Published in February 2018, the 404-page book includes an introduction and original chapter by McCarthy, and contributions from scholars across multiple continents. McCarthy's chapter centers on "The Power and Limits of the Transnational ‘Comfort Women’ Movement," a topic on which she is an internationally recognized expert. Thanks to funding from the College of Arts and Sciences, she received editorial assistance from international relations majors Kerstin Donat and Mollie Clark prior to their graduation in 2017.

The book is divided into multi-chapter sections on broad topics that affect Japan’s foreign policy, including:

Japan’s foreign policy landscape

The global environmental and sustainable development

International and national security

International political economy

International norms and civil society

McCarthy joined the Drake faculty in 2007. She specializes in Japan’s domestic and foreign policies and teaches numerous courses at Drake on Japan, China and East Asia, as well as topical courses in world and comparative politics. Her current research is focused on the legacy of World War II on Japan’s current relationships with other countries including the United States, Korea and China. She is also the Coordinator of the East Asian studies minor at Drake.

Besides her teaching and research, Dr. McCarthy enjoys mentoring students to help them to have the most enriching experience both at Drake and beyond. In this capacity, she advises students on post-graduate opportunities, including teaching English in Japan through the prestigious Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET).

Funding for indexing of Routledge Handbook of Japanese Foreign Policy, was provided by the Drake University Center for the Humanities.

Cultural stereotypes about women and money may carry tangible and unconscious psychological consequences, according to a recent study conducted by Drake University Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Jill Allen.

The study, co-led by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Associate Professor of Psychology Sarah Gervais, suggests gender stereotypes about money can negatively impact women’s cognitive functioning. The research findings were published recently in Psychology of Women Quarterly and discussed in an article by the psychology and neuroscience news website PsyPost.

As summarized by PsyPost:

An initial survey of 395 female college students found that women who more strongly identified with their gender and women who endorsed benevolent sexism were more likely to report money–gender stereotypes.

Two follow-up experiments with a total of 179 college women found evidence that priming the concepts of money and femininity undermined their performance on a test of cognitive functioning.

For their cognitive experiments, Allen and Gervais split women into groups. One group was shown images of products that are stereotypically associated with femininity (e.g., ballet slippers), while the other groups were shown products that are typically seen as masculine (e.g., football) or gender-neutral (e.g., tennis racquet). The researchers then "cognitively activated" the concept of money in the minds of participants (or not) by having them handle a stack of $1, $5, and $10 bills.

Ultimately, Allen and Gervais found that the group that viewed feminine-oriented products and were reminded of money tended to have the impaired performance on a cognitive test, (e.g., slower reaction time on a Stroop test), especially compared to those viewing masculine or gender-neutral products with the same money reminder.

Allen said the study points to the value of helping women feel more empowered when it comes to managing their finances—and resisting cultural stereotypes, including those that suggest women are inferior negotiators, that men should handle the family finances and pay for big-ticket items, and that men should be a family's primary breadwinners in heterosexual relationships. She said subsequent research could look at female investment bankers, female accountants, and other women who work closely with money, to help researchers understand how these women overcome the subtle and harmful influence of money-based gender stereotypes.

]]>21526Drake University announces 2018 National Alumni Award winnershttp://news.drake.edu/2018/03/06/drake-university-announces-2018-national-alumni-award-winners/
Tue, 06 Mar 2018 20:00:28 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21495
The Drake University National Alumni Board will recognize six exceptional alumni with awards for professional achievement and loyalty to their alma mater. ]]>

The Drake University National Alumni Board will recognize six exceptional alumni with awards for professional achievement and loyalty to their alma mater. The 2018 National Alumni Awards ceremony is set for 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 26, at Sheslow Auditorium in Old Main, 2507 University Ave.

“This year’s National Alumni Award winners have made transformative contributions to Drake and to their community,” said John Smith, vice president of University Advancement at Drake University. “Their achievements are remarkable—in business, philanthropy, education, science, economic development, law, and so many other important fields. They represent the best of what it is to be a member of the Drake community, and we both congratulate and thank them for their efforts.”

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

Ron Pearson, BN’62, is chairman emeritus of Hy-Vee, Inc. He joined Hy-Vee in 1960 as a part-time employee while attending Drake and accepted a full-time position upon graduation. He rose through the ranks, eventually being elected chief executive officer, chairman of the board, and president in 1983. He was named chairman emeritus in 2006, and in 2010, Hy-Vee made a gift to the Drake University athletic department to rename the basketball court Ron Pearson Court. During his career, Pearson served as Chairman of the Food Marketing Institute and was a recipient of the Sidney R. Rabb Award, FMI’s highest honor for supermarket industry leaders. He is a past chairman of the Iowa Business Council and an inductee in the Iowa Business Hall of Fame. He has chaired or served on the boards of Drake University, The Principal Financial Group, the Iowa College Foundation, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Dowling Foundation, Keep Iowa Beautiful, Partnership for a Drug-Free Iowa, Variety - The Children's Charity, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Iowa United Negro College Fund and several other organizations. He also chaired the successful capital campaign to build the Russell and Ann Gerdin American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Iowa City.

YOUNG ALUMNI LOYALTY

Tammi Blackstone, AS’00, is a public servant with experience in criminal defense, juvenile justice, and family law litigation. She has served since 2015 as coordinator of the Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Criminal Justice Information System. Previously she was an attorney in private practice for 10 years, arguing several cases before the Iowa Supreme Court and Iowa Court of Appeals. While at Drake, she was member and captain of the Women’s Basketball Team that made three trips to the NCAA tournament and advanced to the final four of the WNIT. She earned All-MVC honors and holds Drake Women’s Basketball records for blocked shots and shooting percentage. She is a member of the Bulldog Club Board and the President’s Circle Board, and received Drake Athletics’ “Double D Award” in 2014. She has served her community as a board member for the nonprofit Community Youth Concepts, a member of the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union’s E. Wayne Cooley Scholarship committee, and a mock trial judge for middle school and high school students.

YOUNG ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT

Tiffany Tauscheck, JO’01, CDME, is chief strategy officer at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In that role, she helps lead strategic planning efforts, promotes regional economic development and fosters strategic community and corporate relationships. Since joining The Partnership in 2015, she served as team lead on the organization’s Maximizing Momentum 2022 Investor Campaign, which successfully secured a record increase in contributions and a record number of new investors. She also oversaw a multi-year regional research and branding project that resulted in the unveiling of the DSM USA regional identifier and Downtown DSM USA identifier. Prior to joining The Partnership, she held professional roles in journalism, marketing, development and tourism. She is a long-term member of Drake University’s National Alumni Board, a recent graduate of the Executive Education Center at Drake University’s “Leading Others” program, and a member of the Drake Relays Continuous Improvement Planning Task Force. She serves the community through a number of national, regional, and state boards and committees.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Catherine Gayle Williams, LA’61, is a 103-year-old trailblazer who improved the lives of children and families in Iowa through her career in state government. When she retired as deputy commissioner of the Iowa Department of Human Services in 1981—a position that made her the highest-ranking African-American in Iowa state government at the time—she capped a nearly 30-year-long career marked by “firsts.” She established the first foster parent group for children with developmental disabilities, provided the first statewide training program for foster parents, developed the first subsidized adoption program, and implemented Iowa’s first child abuse registry. Her efforts resonated on a national level with the creation of uniform standards for the delivery of foster care and daycare services. She has served the community in myriad ways, through involvement with Iowa’s Health Services Council, the City of Des Moines Planning and Zoning Commission, Simpson College, and St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is a recipient of the Drake University Distinguished Alumnae Award in 1981 and a member of the Iowa Department of Human Rights’ Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame.

ALUMNI LOYALTY

Scott Johnson, GR’90, is an owner in Johnson Holding Company. He retired from Wells Fargo Bank in 2013 after spending 34 years with the company; as the organization’s Iowa-Illinois regional president, he was responsible for 92 retail banks in 45 markets. In 2007, he led a partnership between Wells Fargo Bank and the Drake CBPA to create Drake’s Career and Professional Development Center. He has served Drake University in a number of other ways, including as a member of the Drake University Board of Trustees and member of the College of Business and Public Administration’s National Advisory Council. Since 2015 he has provided mentorship and advice to students as the CBPA’s Executive in Residence, helping students to evaluate career options and connecting them, along with faculty members, to community business leaders. He currently serves on Youth Emergency Services & Shelter’s board of directors and previously served on the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s executive committee and the boards of the Principal Charity Classic and the United Way of Central Iowa.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT

Douglas G Bruce, BN’72, GR’89 is owner and chairman of Osmundson Mfg. Co. in Perry, Iowa, a fourth-generation company for which he has worked since 1966. Osmundson is a leader in the tillage tool industry, employing approximately 100 people and selling high quality disc, coulter, seeder and grain drill blades throughout the U.S. and in a number of countries. Bruce serves Drake University as a member of the Board of Trustees, and is a member of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Safety Compliance Board. Previously, he served on the boards of the American Red Cross–Serving Greater Iowa, Science Center of Iowa, Southern Farm Equipment Manufacturing Association, Ballet Des Moines, Dallas County Hospital, and Glen Oaks Owners Association. He and his wife of 31 years, Mary Kay Bruce, made a leadership-level gift to STEM@DRAKE in support of The Science Connector Building, where they dedicated an outdoor astronomy and observation deck, a classroom, and a collaboration space.

Campus Compact, a Boston-based non-profit organization working to advance the public purposes of higher education, has announced the 268 students who will make up the organization’s 2018 cohort of Newman Civic Fellows, including Drake University’s own Julie Uram.

Uram is a sophomore from Rockford, Ill., double-majoring in environment sustainability and rhetoric and social change. She is a service learning ambassador for Drake’s student-run Next Course Food Recovery Network, which recovers untouched dining hall food and delivers it to agencies in Des Moines. She wants all Drake students to have general understanding of food insecurity and nutrition.

In support of her nomination for the Newman Civic Fellowship, Drake University President Marty Martin said, “Julie is passionate about using her knowledge of rhetoric and environmental science to help others understand social systems and social issues in ways that are sensitive to inequalities and considerate of sustainable development.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship, named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman, is a one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional, and civic growth. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The fellowship also provides fellows with access to apply for exclusive scholarship and post-graduate opportunities.

“Through various sociology courses at Drake, I have come to realize the terms ‘hunger,’ ‘community,’ and ‘obesity’ to be emotionally powerful yet complex social constructs that allow vague understandings about food insecurity and nutrition to continue,” Uram said. “My constant goal is to use my knowledge of rhetoric and environmental science to help others understand social systems and social issues in ways that are sensitive to inequalities and considerate of sustainable development.”

The Newman Civic Fellowship is supported by the KPMG Foundation and Newman’s Own Foundation. Prior Fellows from Drake University include Gabriella Gugliotta (2017), Laura Leben (2016) and Hector Salamanca Arroyo (2014).

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate and engage with such an extraordinary group of students,” Campus Compact President Andrew Seligsohn said of the 2018 cohort. “The stories of this year's Newman Civic Fellows make clear that they are bringing people together in their communities to solve pressing problems. That is what Campus Compact is about, and it's what our country and our world desperately need.”

]]>21489Drake University applications reach record highhttp://news.drake.edu/2018/03/05/drake-university-applications-reach-record-high/
Mon, 05 Mar 2018 15:27:59 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21474
A record number of prospective first-year undergraduate students have applied for admission to Drake University for the fall 2018 semester.]]>

A record number of students have applied for admission to Drake University for the fall 2018 semester. As of March 5, first-year undergraduate applications totaled 6,587—a 23.4 percent increase from this time last year and 38.7 percent increase from this time in 2016. This represents the highest number of prospective Bulldogs in recorded history.

Drake has long been recognized as one of the Midwest’s best private universities; now, numerous factors are contributing to a surge in interest among the next generation of college students.

“For so many reasons, there has never been a better time to be a Bulldog,” said Anne Kremer, dean of admission. “Families across the country—and around the world—are realizing that Drake is an exceptional investment and an outstanding place to study."

Earlier this month, Drake welcomed more than 500 admitted high school seniors for a series of campus visit programs. While many students are attracted to Drake’s new and newly upgraded STEM facilities, the influx of applicants is taking place across many programs; for example, the music department reports a 15 percent increase year-over-year in the number of students who registered for auditions.

Drake students are finding exceptional career success after graduation. Nearly every member of the Class of 2017 (98.8 percent of bachelor’s degree recipients and 99.5 percent of graduate degree recipients) held full-time employment or had been enrolled in continuing education opportunities within six months of graduation.

Drake University junior Alex Freeman of Eldridge, Iowa, has been named a finalist for the 2018 Truman Scholarship. The prestigious scholarship is given annually to students who aspire to leadership positions in federal, state, or local governments or in the not-for-profit and education sectors where they can influence public policies and change public programs.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation received 756 applications from 313 colleges and universities this year, and Freeman is one of 194 students from 137 schools to be given further consideration for the prestigious scholarship.

Freeman is an economics, politics, international relations triple-major. During his time at Drake, he has served as campaign assistant for Drake alumnus and Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn; was nominated to serve on Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Future Ready Iowa board; worked as a public affairs intern for the bipartisan public relations, public affairs, and marketing firm LS2group; and has been a legislative clerk at the Iowa Legislature. He founded Harvest Hustle, a 5K run to benefit Iowa homeless shelters and food pantries.

He was co-author with Associate Professor of Political Science Rachel Paine Caufield and Professor of Law David McCord on a research paper on the topic of prosecutorial discretion and judicial decisions in death penalty cases. The paper was delivered at an annual conference of the Midwest Political Science Association in 2017.

“I was motivated to apply for the Truman Scholarship because of the laudable mission of the foundation to inspire the next generation of public servants,” Freeman said. “If fortunate enough to be named a scholar, it will be largely thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Department of political science and the rest of the faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences who have been vital supporters of my work, studies, and public service leadership. The institutional support from Drake University has been exceptional."

If selected for the Truman Scholarship, Freeman will receive up to $30,000 for graduate study, receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, and participate in a summer public service internship in DC and other programs designed to develop and support careers in public service. Scholarship recipients will be notified April 20.

Drake has had eight Truman Scholars since the scholarship was created in 1977. Drake’s most recent scholars include:

Sheila McCoy, AS’01, who currently works as assistant general counsel at the U.S. Government Accountability Office;

Todd Sechser, AS’99, associate professor of politics at the University of Virginia; and

Darci Vetter, AS’96, former chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and currently a strategic consultant working on international trade, food, and agricultural issues.

After earning his bachelor's degree from Drake, Freeman said he intends to pursue a master’s degree in public policy with a concentration in international investment and trade policy. Like all scholarship recipients, he would agree to work in public service for at least four years upon completion of his graduate degree.

]]>21411Katrina Sletten receives Brooke Owens Fellowship for women in aerospace fieldshttp://news.drake.edu/2018/02/27/katrina-sletten-receives-brooke-owens-fellowship-for-women-in-aerospace-fields/
Tue, 27 Feb 2018 14:43:26 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21402
The maximum course load at Drake University is 18 credit hours per semester. Senior Katrina Sletten has had six 18-credit semesters as she strives to graduate with a triple major across disciplines, studying physics, astronomy and public relations with a minor in mathematics. In addition to her full academic schedule, she has worked at the […]]]>

The maximum course load at Drake University is 18 credit hours per semester. Senior Katrina Sletten has had six 18-credit semesters as she strives to graduate with a triple major across disciplines, studying physics, astronomy and public relations with a minor in mathematics.

In addition to her full academic schedule, she has worked at the Drake Municipal Observatory since her first year; conducted research with Associate Professor Charles Nelson in the astronomy department on the morphology of seyfert galaxies; served as an intern at the Science Center of Iowa; was the president of the society of physics students; helped out in both astronomy and physics labs; worked as a political coder for the 2016 U.S. presidential election alongside Assistant Professor Matthew Thorton; and writes scientific articles intermittently for student-run magazine The Annual.

These accomplishments have landed her a spot as a fellow in the Brooke Owens Fellowship program. Starting May 28, she will intern with the Museum of Flight in Seattle in their Digital Learning Department.

The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a paid internship program for women in the sciences who strive to become leaders in the aerospace industry, and have a specific interest and passion for aerospace. Sletten went through an exhausting and tedious interview process to become one of 41 women selected for the fellowship.

“Science isn’t a boys club,” Sletten said. She believes this fellowship is not only a necessary addition to aerospace opportunities, but one that honors someone who “touched so many hearts.”

Brooke Owens passed away two years ago from cancer at age 35, and the fellowship was started by three of her closest friends that same year. “What an amazing person (Brooke Owens) must have been to inspire this kind of fellowship,” Sletten said.

Sletten has been interested in astronomy all her life. In kindergarten, she answered the question “what do you want to be when you grow up” not with princess, but with “astronomer.”

After her first semester at Drake University, Sletten realized that she didn’t want to spend her whole life in a lab because a multitude of her strengths lie in interpersonal communication and her innate ability to connect with others.

Her passion within the sciences is to inspire and teach the benefits of science to the masses, hopefully along the way spreading her love of astronomy with others. It was then that she added her public relations major, which is the perfect mesh of her creative, mathematic and logical skillsets.

The combination of majors often begs the question, “what is your dream job?” After interning at the Science Center in Iowa, Sletten has a newfound appreciation for non-profit science, and being able to share her expertise with people who may not have extensive scientific knowledge. She also wants her job to have a creative component, which she feels is richly available in non-profit science.

“I love trying to think of things in new ways; that’s what keeps (science) fresh and engaging,” Sletten said. “A huge part of me is problem solving. People ask me ‘how do astronomy, physics and public relations go together?’ And I tell them you have to have problem solving and creativity in both of these subjects …it’s the bridge that not a lot of people see.”

This mindset transitions perfectly to her job at the Museum of Flight, where she will be working to coordinate speakers and events, in addition to working alongside a summer camp for young girls interested in engineering and space.

Sletten first heard about the Brooke Owens Fellowship her junior year when her aerospace idol Emily Calandrelli posted the fellowship link on her Twitter. Sletten was immediately interested, but realized that the application was due the following day. She scrambled to write the essay, complete the creative component and ask professors for letters of recommendation. She made it all the way to the final round, but was not selected for a company.

She was heartbroken to miss out on an opportunity that perfectly encompassed her scientific values and professional aspirations, but fortunately one of the founders of the Brooke Owens Fellowship—Cassie Kloberdanz Lee—is the daughter of Mark Kloberdanz, director of the Drake University Student Counseling Center, and she reached out to Sletten after the selection process was finished urging her to continue with her aspirations.

“She said she was from Des Moines and she thought it was really awesome to see another woman pursuing aerospace in Iowa,” Sletten said.

After corresponding, Kloberdanz Lee invited Sletten to meet up with her in Seattle, where she now resides. While there, Sletten networked with the company she had hoped to work for, GeekWire, and visited the Museum of Flight. The experience and friendliness of Kloberdanz Lee hooked Sletten on the program once more and convinced her to apply for it the upcoming year.

Sletten is the only astronomy major in her the 2018 Drake graduating class, so sharing her passion with other females just like her is one of the more powerful and alluring parts of the fellowship.

“I have 40 other girls who are in the aerospace industry and I could not be more excited because it’s just a big sisterhood where we get to share stories and become friends with one another,” Sletten said. “With a normal internship you don’t generally get that community piece.”

The program lasts until mid-August, and in addition to working for a company, all the fellows meet up and engage in community building, and each fellow is given a mentor who is a professional in aerospace engineering. The pairings are sent out to the fellows this March.

Sletten is excited to continue in a profession that has been her dream as long as she can remember. In her first year at Drake, Sletten received a D in physics and was afraid of potentially having to rethink her dream because the curriculum was so challenging.

“That moment was a turning point for me, because I realized my passion was enough to carry me through,” Sletten said. “Along with inspiring people, I am driven by my own personal quest, and showing myself that I did it — even when it was hard, my love for science was enough to get me where I want to go.”

]]>21402Meet Vince Kenney, conductor of the 'raucous' Bulldog Brasshttp://news.drake.edu/2018/02/24/meet-vince-kenney-conductor-of-the-raucous-bulldog-brass/
Sat, 24 Feb 2018 22:14:48 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21373
Bulldog Brass brings the noise for Drake Basketball, and Vince Kenney is there to lead them. "You’re almost a DJ for the whole event," he says. "You’re calling up the right tune at the right time."]]>

Assistant Professor of Music Vince Kenney is conductor of the Bulldog Brass, an energetic group of student musicians who provide the soundtrack for Drake men's and women's home basketball games.

The Knapp Center has been an exciting place for Drake basketball fans this year, with the men’s and women’s teams notching big wins in front of boisterous crowds. Providing the soundtrack at every game is the Bulldog Brass, a group of 20 brass and rhythm section players. Assistant Professor of Music Vince Kenney is the man behind—or rather, in front of—the Bulldog Brass. He joined Drake in the fall 2017, lending his own brand of pep to musicians who work to create the home-court advantage that makes The Knapp Center a challenging venue for Missouri Valley Conference rivals.

Before the basketball teams wrap their conference seasons, Drake University student Jennifer Schallmoser sat down with Kenney for a Q&A about the 2017-2018 Bulldog Brass.

How would you characterize the sound and personality of the Bulldog Brass?

We’re quirky and raucous. I think we’ve done a good job of really showing up to games, being loud, and providing some atmosphere and energy for the team this year. We do our best in hopes that the student section, the team and the rest of the crowd can feed off of energy. Sometimes you can hear how funny the students are, in the things that they yell, and they’ll have individual things that they do that just show their own wit and humor in the context of the game.

Do you mean with their chants?

The individual chants, the individual things they do for free throws. We play loud and we try to have a good time at those games. I’ve got a couple guys who like to do what they call a “hotdog toss” at halftime. So they’ll take a hotdog or two, and they’ll throw them to the student section. I try to keep it under control…

What do you personally bring to Bulldog Brass?

I try to bring organization and energy. We have upwards of 75 students participating in the group, so making sure that we have every game covered—and everyone knows where they’re supposed to be and when they’re supposed to be there—is a big part of what I do. The other part, energy, is just kind of helping people to feel comfortable making some noise. As a conductor, you’re almost a DJ for the whole event. You’re calling up the right tune at the right time to make sure the crowd is as engaged as they could be. If [the basketball team] goes on a 10-to-nothing run, and the other team has to call a time out, I can’t have some slow tune called up. It has to be “The D Song,” so the crowd can clap along.

What’s your favorite tune to conduct?

Pretty Fly (For a White Guy). It’s just such a high energy piece, and we’ve got some drummers who really go off when we play it. Ryan and Skip are their names. They’re both great players, and it gives them a chance to just go nuts on the drum set.

What has been the best moment of Bulldog Brass this season?

The women beat Iowa State the evening after Paul Morrison (Mr. Drake) passed away, so that was a really cool game because you could feel the team was giving it everything they had. To beat an in-state rival on that day, in that situation, that was something that felt very special.

What excites you about leading this particular group of musicians? What motivates you to bring your all to every game?

The thing that excites me the most is the role we play in the game. I think lots of people underestimate what a band and what a good crowd can do for the success of a team. I think we brought a lot of great energy to the Knapp Center this year and that is a big part of why the teams are seeing so much success…At the [Drake] athletic and music departments, we want everybody to have a unity of purpose…[where] we’re all moving in the same direction. We want success for our students [and] we want success for our student-athletes, always. Being a part of that and getting to see the success is what helps me to bring my all to every game.

How does Bulldog Brass stand out from other schools in the conference? What makes it uniquely “Drake”?

The sense of humor that all the students bring to the ensemble. Lots of schools have a band, but the particular brand of humor Drake students come up with is just completely unique.

Shifting the focus to you, what musical influences to you bring to your work?

My biggest musical influence is Dr. Brian Bowman [Regent’s Professor of Euphonium at the University of Texas]. He’s kind of the godfather of euphonium playing in America. I used to audition a lot for military bands, and I noticed that his students won every competition, so I decided I wanted to study with him. I began studying with him in my master’s program and the musical knowledge that he was able to impart on me was just on a level beyond anything I’d even considered. He really opened up a new world, and at the same time, he was just a good role model in all respects. He was a person who was a virtuoso in every sense of the word.

What is your best musical memory?

My best musical memory was competing in the finals of the Leonard Falcone International Solo Euphonium Competition. That was something I worked very, very hard for. They take 10 semifinalists from audition tapes sent from throughout the world, and then of those 10 that get invited, there are three finalists. So to make it to the finals at that competition was for me just absolutely memorable.

Finally, what’s something about yourself no one would guess?

I have four sisters; I don’t think anyone would guess that. I come from a big family, and I was the only boy. Everybody thinks that would be difficult, but it was actually really awesome. They’re all cool people, and we get along really well, so that was nice.

More About Vincent Kenney:

Kenney began his first year as assistant director of bands and assistant professor of low brass at Drake in the fall of 2017. In his position at Drake, Kenney conducts the university’s Symphonic Band, Marching Band and during basketball season, Bulldog Brass.

With a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree from the University of North Texas, Kenney is an active euphonium soloist and chamber musician. He has also helped to establish the euphonium quartet as a viable chamber medium as a member of the North Texas Euphonium Quartet. To date, Kenney has assisted in premiering nine new pieces written specifically for the North Texas Euphonium Quartet, with more coming soon.

]]>21373Drake University’s accreditation reaffirmed by the Higher Learning Commissionhttp://news.drake.edu/2018/02/22/drake-universitys-accreditation-reaffirmed-by-the-higher-learning-commission/
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:03:34 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21364The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has publicly reaffirmed accreditation of Drake University for an additional 10 years. The Commission, which oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in 19 states, announced its decision this week.

“This affirmation of accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission is important because it validates the continued strength of the institution and acknowledges the hard work of our faculty and staff,” said Drake University Provost Sue Mattison.

A report by the HLC’s accreditation team noted Drake’s reputation as a mission-driven university with strong academic programs, committed faculty and staff, as well as sound and transparent fiscal stewardship. The team also highlighted Drake’s commitment to fostering greater equity and inclusion on campus.

The HLC’s decision comes as the successful result of a multi-year effort on Drake’s campus, led by Craig Owens, professor and department chair of English, and Kevin Saunders, director of institutional research and academic assessment. Hundreds of members of the Drake community participated in the review process, which included a campus visit by the commission’s review team in October 2017.

Drake University has been continuously accredited since 1913. Since the reorganization of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 2000, Drake University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.

Drake will next be considered for reaffirmation of accreditation in 10 years, the maximum period between reviews that is available to institutions.

]]>21364The Comparison Project hosts lecture on miracles and naturalismhttp://news.drake.edu/2018/02/22/the-comparison-project-hosts-lecture-on-miracles-and-naturalism/
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 19:30:03 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21361
Mark Harris, senior lecturer in science and religion at the University of Edinburgh, will deliver a free public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in Drake's Olmsted Center.]]>

Mark Harris, senior lecturer in science and religion at the University of Edinburgh, will deliver a free public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in Drake's Olmsted Center.

The Comparison Project will present the second event of the spring semester in its ongoing two-year series on miracles. Mark Harris, senior lecturer in science and religion at the University of Edinburgh, will deliver a lecture on the intersection of science and miracles titled “Naturalism and the Problem of the Unity of Science: How Miracles Help." The lecture is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in the Sussman Theater of Drake's Olmsted Center, 2875 University Ave.

Harris studied geology at Cambridge University before moving into mainstream physics in Oxford, first in a postdoc at the University of Oxford, then in a staff position at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. For about 10 years, Harris established his interests in the physics of magnetic materials. After exploring a calling to ordination in the Church of England, Harris read theology at Oxford in the early 2000s, and moved into parish ministry and university chaplaincy. In 2012, Harris constructed the University of Edinburgh's new master’s program in science and religion and has been a director of the program ever since.

Harris’s teaching and research focus on the relationship between Christian theology and the physical sciences. He is especially interested in the impact of science on modern views of the Bible, especially in thinking on miracles and divine action. Harris is in the process of working on a book project on naturalism, and the ways that historical debates on naturalism in geology provide a new way of looking at miracles.

Harris’s lecture will discuss conventional assumptions in theological and philosophical discussions of miracle that science can be adequately dealt with simply by invoking ‘the laws of nature’, such that a miracle transgresses these laws. He will talk about the shortcomings of these assumptions, arguing that there is a need to address wider underpinning concepts in the philosophy of science, including naturalism, the uniformity of nature, and the unity of science. Harris will suggest new ways forward for thinking about miracles by bringing in insights from debates in geology.

The Comparison Project enacts global philosophy of religion in the local Des Moines community. It is supported by the Drake University Center for the Humanities, Humanities Iowa, the Medbury Fund, the Drake University Principal Financial Group Center for Global Citizenship, the Des Moines Area Religious Council, and Cultivating Compassion: The Dr. Richard Deming Foundation.

]]>21361Drake University is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars for 2017-2018http://news.drake.edu/2018/02/19/drake-university-is-a-top-producer-of-fulbright-scholars-for-2017-2018/
Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:28:29 +0000http://news.drake.edu/?p=21326
Drake University is proud to once again be recognized among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Scholars and Students.]]>

Elena Dietz visits the Grand Mosque of Paris during a semester abroad. She was one of Drake's four Fulbright Student Scholars for 2017-2018.

Drake University is proud to once again be recognized among the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Scholars and Students.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs today announced that Drake is included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2017-2018 Fulbright U.S. Students. Drake has consistently been a top producer of Fulbright Scholars among schools of its size and type, most recently earning the distinction in 2015-2016.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. The top institutions are highlighted annually in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“This recognition signifies the extraordinary level of leadership, commitment, and engagement of Drake students, and demonstrates the power of Drake’s commitment to responsible global citizenship,” said Provost Sue Mattison. “It is an incredible honor for the University.”

Four Drake alumni received Fulbright awards for academic year 2017-2018. Nathan Jacobson, Elena Dietz, and Kelly Leatherman were offered Fulbright English Teaching Assistant roles, teaching English as a second language in Bulgaria, Indonesia, and Malaysia, respectively. Ankita Dhussa was selected for a year of research and study in India. Only eight universities in Drake's category had more Fulbright student recipients.

The Fulbright application process at Drake is facilitated by Associate Professor of History Karen Leroux, the University’ Fulbright advisor. Faculty members provide extensive, ongoing support to students as they put months of work into their applications.

“The success of this past year’s Fulbright applicants is truly remarkable,” Leroux said. “Twelve Drake students submitted applications; five were selected as semi-finalists, and of those five semi-finalists, four received awards. That’s an amazing success rate considering the high caliber of the Fulbright competition nationwide. Drake students tend to have so many opportunities to become aware, engaged, and passionate about local and global issues—in the classroom and beyond it, too. That deep engagement, along with strong academics, enables our students to write very competitive applications for international scholarships like Fulbright.”

In total, Drake has had 34 student Fulbright recipients since 2000-2001. Additionally, Drake senior Meghan Walters of West Bend, Wis., has been named a Fulbright semi-finalist for the 2018-2019 program.

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 participants—chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential — with the opportunity to exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Over 1,900 U.S. students, artists and young professionals in more than 100 different fields of study are offered Fulbright Program grants to study, teach English, and conduct research abroad each year. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program operates in over 140 countries throughout the world.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State, funded by an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education.

The Fulbright Program also awards grants to U.S. scholars, teachers and faculty to conduct research and teach overseas. In addition, some 4,000 foreign Fulbright students and scholars come to the United States annually to study, lecture, conduct research and teach foreign languages.

Next Fall, one of two full-length mainstage productions opening at Drake University this month, is directed by Drake senior Colin Meyer.

Drake University Theatre’s upcoming repertory showcase features two full-length, mainstage productions that vary significantly in style and message.

The showcase begins Thursday, Feb. 22, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 25, in the William S.E. Coleman Studio Theatre in the Harmon Fine Arts Center, 2505 Carpenter Ave, with shows playing on alternating days.

Almost Blue is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22 and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 25th at 2 p.m. The production is directed by guest director Josh Vishnapuu, who has starred in shows at The Des Moines Community Playhouse and directed/produced shows with his theatre company, Open Door Rep.Next Fallis set for Friday, Feb. 23 and Sunday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. The production is helmed by Drake senior Colin Meyer, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing major, who is making his full-length, mainstage directing debut.

Almost Blue is a stage noir that follows the story of Phil—an alcoholic, ex-con trying to find freedom in the bottom of a bottle. His elderly, erotica-writing neighbor is a bit of a caretaker and his only companion—until a visit from a mysterious woman turns his life upside down. She turns out to be the ex-wife of Phil’s violent former cell mate, who is out for blood. All of them want something from Phil, and all he wants is to do the right thing, for once.

“It is a different process for me because it’s a different style than I’m used to [directing],” Visnapuu said. “Noir is a pretty rare genre for theatre so that’s been a challenge.”

“I try to make [the directing process] very collaborative,” Visnapuu said. “I want this to be a community process where everyone is part of the creative team. It really is a mutual discovery of the characters. I want them to explore.”

Jackson Kealy, a junior BFA musical theatre major who plays Blue in the show, says the noir genre gives the audience a kind of theatre experience they may not be used to.

“It’s a noir thriller type of show in which you watch the same thing happen over and over again, but it gets a little weirder each time,” Kealy said. “I hope the audience takes away a sense of wonder and viewing pleasure. It’s not a show that’s going to change the audience’s view on the world, but rather it offers a chance to get caught up in a show that is live and vibrant.”

The second show in the showcase Next Fall by Geoffry Nauffts, follows the characters of Adam, an atheist, and Luke, a Christian, as they try to find common ground in their relationship. Next Fall debates complex issues about hospital visitation rights, faith in the LGBT community, and the afterlife. When tragedy strikes the couple, their faith and relationships are tested.

In his first experience directing a full-length mainstage production, Drake senior Colin Meyer said, “I learned a lot about collaboration. I have an amazing group of actors that really understand that I’m still learning as a director. The entire feel of the show is just very collaborative and I’m so grateful that I got to learn how to focus on that.”

Next Fall’s diverse characters and story have something to offer for everyone, said senior Shelby Jensen, a bachelor of arts in theatre and public relations double-major who plays Arlene in the show.

“It is really well written,” Jensen said. “It’s witty, the characters are people that you like, people that you might know. It’s an emotional rollercoaster and I think you might walk away either questioning your own beliefs or solidified in them, and I think it can be different for everyone.”

First-year BFA musical theatre major Brandon Shreve plays Adam in the show. While the production deals with tragedy and portrays many perspectives on controversial issues, Shreve wants the audience to take away a message of hope and connection.

“It’s cliché, but love is love,” Shreve said. “And regardless of what our beliefs are, what may hinder us, or control how we live, at the end of the day all we have is love and that’s all that we can connect with each other through.”